


All That Is Left

by northernroyal



Series: All That Is Left [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Essos, F/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:13:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/northernroyal/pseuds/northernroyal
Summary: Arthur leaves the Tower of Joy with Lyanna and Jon before the Battle of the Trident. Arthur must choose between his vows as a knight and those of the Kingsguard.
Relationships: Arthur Dayne/Lyanna Stark, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen
Series: All That Is Left [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009866
Comments: 13
Kudos: 73





	1. This Damned Desert

He wouldn’t have chosen this life for her. He wouldn’t have chosen it for anybody really. But seeing her now, like this, he wishes he could take it all back. He wishes he could have stopped Rhaegar from doing it all. Even so he chose this path and now he must live with the guilt. Everytime he looks at her, that’s all he feels. 

Guilt.

After the guilt has passed, another emotion starts to creep up on him. Anger. Some small part of him can’t help it. This young girl, woman now he supposed, had her own part in all this. She chose to leave her home. She chose to run away with the prince. He had been there that night and had watched as she ran from her brother’s arms and into Rhaegar’s. Even then he had wished to tell both of them how foolish this plan of theirs was. He had thought it was his loyalty to the prince that made him keep his mouth shut. 

But now as Arthur drifted into the past, was it loyalty or fear that held him back? He didn’t know the answer to the question that had plagued him for months now. He didn’t know anything stuck in this damned desert. Was Rhaegar even alive? A part deep down, buried under his love for the man that had been the closest thing he had to a brother, hoped so. It would be easier for the girl. Lyanna

After it had seemed clear that the prince was on the losing side, Arthur told Lady Lyanna that they would be setting sail soon. They couldn't stay for much longer. It was unsafe for her . . . and the baby. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her that happy before. Her months upon months of isolation would soon come to an end. She had hugged him after he told her, and for a brief moment her excitement had spread to him. But he soon remembered that road before them would not be an easy one. If they didn’t leave soon, people would come looking for them. More specially, they would be looking for her.

She tells Arthur how excited she is to be leaving, to set sail across the sea, and to get Jon to safety. It’s the most she has talked to him in weeks. Even longer probably. Ever since news of her brother came, she had little to say to anyone. Silence had encased him after his brothers in arms had returned to Rhaegar’s side on the battlefield. When the prince had told him he would be staying behind, he had been enraged. He knew he was by far the best fighter. He and Dawn had never lost a battle, and he was being left behind to babysit. The Whitecloaks had laughed in jest when he had voiced that thought to the prince. As his fellow knights laughed beside him, Rhaegar had given him a rare smile and took him aside. Rhaegar stated in a cryptic tone Arthur had only heard when the prince talked of prophecies, “Lady Lyanna is more important than you realize. I trust you like a brother, I need you here with her, Arthur.”

And again Arthur had to ask himself was it loyalty or fear that kept him from disagreeing with his prince.


	2. Lost Faith

Arthur was currently packing what little supplies they had left. Which in the end was probably a good thing. The journey to the sea would be a rough one especially with a recovering mother and her babe. The less they had the better.

“I presume this means we’re leaving soon?” a young woman with a babe cradled in her arms asked from the doorway. She was asking a question but her eyes told a different story. The deep set of her brow told Arthur, she had hoped they'd be in Essos by now. His hands fell to his hips and he let out a sigh.

“My lady,” Lyanna’s brow deepened again, “the journey to the harbor will not be easy. You will need your strength. We still have a few days before we must leave.” It still surprised Arthur how well he could read the lady. First, she was annoyed he still insisted on calling her my lady. Next, she was angry (and upset maybe?) that he thought her weak. Finally, she was suspicious that they had any time left at all.

“The sooner the better, that is what you told me. You said Robert was gaining more favor. He will have no mercy for me or Jon. Or has your faith in the prince’s ability changed?” Lyanna asked, not noticing the way Arthur’s jaw clenched and shoulders tensed. 

“Our crown prince could very well defeat that traitor Baratheon at the Trident. I have never lost faith.” he hoped she couldn’t read him as well as he could her. For some reason the slight at the prince’s abilities angered him. “And yes sooner is better, but I would rather not tell Prince Rhaegar that his mistress died because she was so eager to get away from him with his child.” Arthur stormed out with the supplies, taking the steps as fast as he could.

He was barely down the first few before he heard “I am not his DAMNED MISTRESS!” The shouting had woken Jon who started crying not even a moment. Arthur slowed his pace.The crying had quieted, and at this point he couldn’t tell who it was coming from. Arthur had become familiar with the cries of both mother and son.

He had regretted what he said as soon as the words left his mouth. He couldn’t even look at her as he had said the words, too afraid of the hate he would see. But his loyalty to Rhaegar was so ingrained into his very being, that the perceived slight practically made his blood boil. He was made even angrier by the fact that he had strayed so far from the knight he once was, and he had done all because his prince commanded it.


	3. Or Have You Forgotten?

Arthur groaned as he got out of bed. The sun had yet to rise, but they would need to leave soon. He had avoided Lyanna for the rest of the night after his outburst. He figured if they set off today, he might not have to deal with her unforgiving stare for the entire trek to the sea. She was already awake by the time he made it to the top of the tower. He came across a scene he had become familiar with in the past weeks since she birthed the babe. The lady was cradling the small bundle as she gently cooed and whispered of their life away from Westeros. Arthur hadn’t even noticed he was starting until Lyanna scoffed and raised her eyes at him.

Arthur cleared his throat and looked away before saying, “We’re leaving today. The horses are ready. Whenever you’re ready.” Arthur felt as if he couldn’t get the words out fast enough. He left before Lyanna could even reply. The sun had already begun to crest by the time Lyanna made her way down with Jon swaddled to her chest. No words were spoken as she put what little belongings she had left in her saddlebags. 

The knight had always felt most at peace on a horse with a sword on his hip, but now he just felt unsettled. The rocky mountain terrain that had once been his home now left a sour taste in his mouth. “The sea is to the east, why are we heading south?” The lady’s question snapped him out of his thoughts.

Arthur furrowed his brow, “ My lady, we are sailing from the Summer Sea not the Sea of Dorne.” Arthur frowned when he noticed the look of surprise on the lady's face. Had she really expected to cross the Boneway with the babe?

She turned to him with what could only be a look of disappointment. “But surely we would make it to Essos quicker that way?”She gave him a questioning look, which once again just reminded him of how young she was. He began to shift in his saddle under the weight of her gaze. 

After clearing his throat and turning forward he said, “My lady, if we were to head to the Sea of Dorne, we would have to pass the Boneway. The most direct path from Dorne to the Stormlands might not be the best place for you and your babe.” He glanced toward her and noticed her look of shock.

“You can’t mean the stormlords would venture this far south?” the lady questioned. Arthur’s own brows shot up shock.

“No, my lady, it is the dornishmen who you should worry about. Or have you forgotten? It is their princess who you wish to unseat.” Arthur had to clench his jaw to keep from saying more. Because for a moment in time he too had forgotten. He had forgotten the little princess who used to play in the water gardens with his sister. He had forgotten the young woman who married the man who was the closest thing he had to a brother. He had forgotten Princess Elia, a member of the royal family who he was sworn to protect.

Lyanna fidgeted upon her stead. Arthur was anxious as he prepared for her to reply with some barb of her own. When none came he looked over at her and saw that her own jaw was clenched and her knuckles had turned white as she grasped the reins. Her face was turned down with her lips resting upon the babes head. He couldn’t tell but it looked as if she was mumbling to him. As his resentment and anger still bubbled under the surface, the shame was brought back as he saw her kiss the babe and look to the east away from the both of them. He felt guilt too for shaming her. Prince Rhaegar had asked him to do many things throughout his life, and he had done them, blindly. Yet for some reason, Arthur expected this young naive girl to know and do better than him.


	4. Much Easier

The sun was just about to reach its peak before any words were spoken between the pair. Arthur was perfectly fine with riding on in silence, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed Lyanna fidgeting. When he finally looked over, he saw she only had one hand holding her reins while the other was trying to settle the babe. The babe who had started to struggle while muffled cries were being hushed by the lady.

“We should stop for a bit, give the horses a break, and cool off from the sun.” Arthur stated as he started the pull away from the path toward a shaded enclosure. He tried not to pay attention to the struggling babe that had almost become completely unbound from his mother. The lady did not need more of his pity. He slowed his pace once he noticed she was not beside him. Once she caught up to him, he gently took the reins from her hand and led them both to the shade. The babe was still struggling and his muffled cries had turned into full out wails. Once stopped and in the shade, Lyanna took the babe aside while Arthur tended to the horses

It was some time later when the lady joined the knight. The babe was yawning when Arthur looked over. The knight had a small smile on his face as he passed the lady the canteen and a bit of bread. “Thank you.” the lady whispered after passing the canteen back. Arthur knew that they should leave soon; they only had a few more hours until the sun set. But there was a quietness that captured him. It wasn’t the same as the silence that held them all morning. It calmed him. “We should leave soon, right?” the lady asked as she turned to look at him. He was again caught in a moment where he didn’t realize he was staring. He wondered why that kept happening.

Arthur nodded his head as he started to get up. Somehow even with a babe Lyanna was faster than him. As he looked over at her before getting on his horse, he hoped she could see the apology in his eyes. She stared back and it wasn’t until he was almost turned away that he saw the slightest nod of her head.

Once back on their path, Arthur felt as if a weight had been lifted. He wished he could stop saying the wrong things all the time. Their journey would be much easier if they could get along.


	5. Broken Vows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur reminisces as the journey to Starfall comes to a close.

After days upon days of silence with the occasional barb that would send the both of them into a sour mood, the knight, the lady, and the babe were almost to their destination. They had kept to themselves for most of their journey only stopping to tend to the horses and collect food. Arthur Dayne, a man well known in these parts, had avoided being seen as much as possible. It would not do well to be seen with a northern lady and her babe. But part of him did ache for any piece of news from the front lines. He still had not heard of the prince’s fate. Once they had reached Starfall, he hoped that his sister would have news of the battle. Princess Elia had commanded Ashara back to Starfall once she herself had been ordered to Dragonstone. Arthur had not seen his sister in many moons. It had been before Rhaegar had learned Lady Lyanna was with child, since that day he had been ordered to stand guard to the lady. He had scarcely left the lady’s side since the babe was born. If the prince did survive, Arthur didn’t know what he would do if something had happened to the babe. 

While Arthur didn’t know much about babes, he knew all this traveling was not good for the little lad. Traveling horseback in the summer heat to sailing in the rocky seas wasn’t ideal for a newborn. He hoped Lady Lyanna would see reason when he tells her they will need to stay in Starfall for at least a full moon's turn.

The closer they got to the sea the less they fought. They talked little, but both of them longed for some type of companionship. Their childhoods were often a safe topic. Arthur didn’t bring up Rhaegar much. The first time he had it left both of them angry and sullen for days. Most of the time he talked of his sisters or the few times he had met the Dornish princes. Princess Elia was not mentioned since the start of the trip. He often felt guilt when thinking of her, so he kept all his stories of her quiet. He saw the same guilt, and sorrow he guessed, reflected in the lady’s eyes whenever her brother was a part of her stories. 

Brandon Stark.

He had never met the young lord to be, but he had been at the tourney at Harrenhal. Arthur had been with his sister and the princess when the wild wolf had to be restrained after the prince had crowned Lady Lyanna the queen of love and beauty. Arthur had gone for his own blade before the princess had stopped him. Arthur had been right outside the door when Rhaegar brought the news of his death to the lady. He remembered how quick the prince had left the room and how the lady’s wails had carried into the long hours of the night. He had wanted to comfort her at that moment. He had never lost a sibling, but he knew if anything had ever happened to them he would go to the ends of the world to bring them justice. So even then when he thought her nothing but a selfish, foolish little girl he had still wanted to lessen the pain she was feeling.

When Rhaegar had visited her chambers again, he had been there too. He had heard her beg and plead the prince to let her return to her brothers, the only family she had left. He wished he hadn’t heard the prince's response. He wished he could have remained ignorant to the prince’s plans. He had thought he hadn’t broken his vows up to that point. The lady had left Winterfell of her own her will. But now she couldn’t leave, the prince wouldn’t allow it. She was a prisoner and he was her warden. 

Even now Arthur felt as though he was her captor. Only now her cell would be Starfall. His thoughts were often so contradictory. He prayed for Rhaegar’s victory. But he hoped Lady Lyanna would be free from her prisons. He dreamt of seeing his prince, his brother, again, but would Lady Lyanna be with him when he did?


	6. The Pair of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur makes introductions at Starfall

“What will we tell your sisters?” Lady Lyanna looked nervous as she spit out the question it seemed as if she was holding in. Arthur was confused for a second. He couldn’t lie to his sisters.

“The truth, I suppose.” As soon as he answered, the lady’s head darted in his direction and she looked to be shooting daggers at him. Arthur would have laughed (he had received far worse looks from his sisters), but decided to keep a small bit of peace in the moment. “No doubt Ashara will remember you from Harrenhal. And even if she doesn’t,” Arthur sighed and shifted in his saddle before looking at the lady, “Ashara knows me better than anyone, even Rhaegar. She’ll know if I’m lying.” As Arthur gave her one last look, he noticed she seemed nervous. She began to fidget in her saddle, not enough to upset the horse, but he sure noticed. 

“But they won’t tell anyone, right?” she sounded so unsure as she uttered the question. Her voice had never wavered like that before, at least not when she talked to him. She peaked her eyes back at Arthur as she pulled the babe closer to her chest.

“Nothing will happen to you or the little lad in Starfall. You are under my protection.” Arthur tried to be comforting as he told her this because he knew she wouldn’t like what he had to say next. “I will ask them not to say anything, but ,my lady, people are going to find out eventually.”As the statement left his mouth, the lady’s eyes turned hard. Her grey irises shifted and in their place sat swirling storms that threatened to over take him.

“Nobody has to know about me or Jon! We’ll stay in Starfall as you asked. But as soon as it is safe for us to leave, I’m taking my son and leaving Westeros,” the iron in her voice gave him pause when he tried to interrupt. She put up her hand to silence him, and when she looked at him her eyes had softened. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you and I know I chose this,” the lady’s voice was thick and the knight saw her eyes were glistening, “but I can’t stay here. No matter the victor of this battle or the next. I can’t go home. I can’t go to Rhaegar or Robert. So please, Arthur, please just let us leave.” her pleading tone had taken Arthur aback. To hear it used on him instead of Rhaegar made him feel uneasy. But Starfall and the village were within view. It was best not to discuss such sensitive matters while out in public.

“We’ll finish this later. Best to keep to ourselves right now.” Arthur pulled his cloak over his head and motioned for the lady to do the same. She was confused for a second until she finally looked ahead. 

The tension between the pair was heavy as they rode past the village. The knight kept his eyes forward. The sight before him could have brought him to tears. There before him stood his two little sisters in front of his ancestral home. Of course they already knew he would be arriving soon. He had not seen his sisters in many moons. He hadn’t been home in even longer. The knight was off his horse and pulling both of them into a hug before he even realized how much he had missed them. As he pulled away, Allyria swiftly tried to wipe away a stray tear. Arthur would have teased her for it if he wasn’t in a similar state.

Ashara pulled his hand into hers as she began to speak, “Brother, you look like shit.” the faux concern on her face quickly turned to a smirk. As he heard his little sister giggle and a smile graced his own face, Arthur, for the first time in many moons, felt as though the world wasn’t falling apart around him.

The knight was so consumed in his reunion that he hadn’t heard the slow hoof beats approach or the soft lulling sounds the lady was making as she stood behind the three siblings. It wasn’t until his sister spoke again that he even noticed the lady. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Arthur?” When he looked over his shoulder, he noticed the lady was standing a good distance away and looking away from the smiling siblings. She was giving him time with his family. Something she desperately wished for herself.

When he finally caught her eye, he waved her forward. Arthur started speaking as she made her way next to him. “My dear sisters, meet Lady Lyanna Stark,” he was about to introduce the babe too before he saw the lady pull the lad to her chest while quickly glancing at the knight. He almost stuttered before continuing his introduction, “Lady Lyanna, I would like you to meet my dear sisters, Lady Ashara and Lady Allyria Dayne.”

There was a beat of silence before Lady Lyanna stepped forward and bowed her head, “My ladies, I thank you for your hospitality and generosity. Your brother has spoken of little else but the pair of you.” Arthur rolled his eyes at the matching smirks that graced his sister’s faces. They would no doubt tease him mercilessly for only speaking of them. “But I’m afraid his stories did not do you justice. Your beauty and grace is beyond compare.” The smirks were gone and in their place stood twin glares pointed in his direction. He even thought he saw a smile quirk of the lady’s lip. “But he has missed you both dearly and I would like to be out of your way so you may continue your reunion.” The lady’s questioning eyes met his sisters’ for a mere second before they both turned to one another. While Arthur was close with both of his sisters and Ashara did know him better than any other, he was still convinced they could read each other's minds and spoke in a language he would never understand. After a few seconds, which felt much longer to Arthur, the ladies looked back at Lady Lyanna. 

“My Lady,” Ashara started in a soft voice, “you are most welcome here.” Allyria reached out her hand, offering to the lady. “Come, we shall show you to your rooms.” Ashara continued as Lady Lyanna held Allyria’s hand and walked forward between the two sisters. 

To say Arthur was shocked would be an understatement. While he knew his sisters would never be outwardly rude to the lady, he had expected them to be a little cold. Especially Ashara considering her connection to the princess. But both his sisters had been genuine in their kindness. The soft voice and warm smile from Ashara was usually only reserved for Allyria and him on occasion. Hope started to fill in him as he realized the turn of the moon might actually be smooth sailing. He had envisioned weeks of playing peacekeeper. Now it seemed he would actually get to enjoy the short time he had left in his home with his sisters. 

That was until he looked back to the ladies. Ashara’s arm was now wrapped around Lady Lyanna and she was smirking back at him. Dread began to form in the pit of his stomach. He knew that smirk.


	7. And What of Lord Stark?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Ashara have an intense conversation.

Arthur was making his way to the kitchens after bringing the horses to the stables, when he next saw his sister. That good awful smirk appeared again when Ashara noticed him. “What are you up to?” Arthur squinted his eyes as he questioned his sister. She gave him an innocent look that he knew to be fake.

“I’m just getting food for our guest. She has been on a long journey and with a babe no less.” the next smile that graced her face, he couldn’t quite place. He hated when Ashara played her mind games. She was bringing up the babe for some reason, but why?

“And what do you think of that?” Ashara gave him a bored look, waiting for him to elaborate, “The babe, I mean. Obviously you have some opinion of him. Why else would you bring him up? Just get on with it already.” As Arthur sat down with a sigh, he noticed the frown on Ashara’s face. He stared ahead with one hand cupping his chin waiting for her reply. When none came he looked over as she sat down next to him. She looked confused. Arthur couldn’t understand why. His question seemed pretty straight forward. She seemed to be trying to fold his gaze, so he stared right back.

“Arthur,” she started in a quiet voice he didn’t think he’d heard before, “the babe isn’t yours, is he?” his sister looked scandalized as she finished her question. Ashara often said outlandish things to get a rise out of him, but this made his blood boil. He was up and out of his seat in a huff.

“How could you even think that of me? I am a knight of the kingsguard,” his last word fell flat. It was at that moment that he remembered. Remembered that he was a sworn whitecloak and hadn’t even asked of his king or his prince, his brother. He sat back down with a sigh and cradled his head in his hands.

“Oh Arthur, I didn’t mean it like that.” her soft voice was back. Most of the time he liked it. It reminded him of their mother. Right now it just graded on his nerves. “I just saw how you looked at them and how defensive of the babe you just got, and I thought maybe there was something more going on. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were anything else but honorable.” She laid her hand on his arm and rubbed the inside of his wrist with her thumb. Their mother used to do that too. He knew she was trying to be comforting, trying to make him feel better, but it just made it worse. He wasn’t honorable. He was failing everybody. His king. His prince. His sworn brothers. He didn’t deserve to be called a knight, let alone a kingsguard.

But he couldn’t tell that to his sister. He couldn’t bear the thought of Ashara knowing the truth of what he had been doing for the last eight moons past. Arthur let out a sigh as he mentally prepared himself. He needed to know the fate of his prince and king. He had put it off long enough. If his sister wanted to play dumb about the babes father, he would let her.

“Ashara, we can speak of honor another time. What have you heard of the prince? Does Aerys still sit upon the throne?” the words came out faster than he had wanted. It was clear he was nervous. Ashara gave away nothing as she turned over his hand and interlaced their fingers. Arthur wasn’t sure what he wanted her answers to be. The silence felt like it lasted a lifetime. He felt his heart start to race as his sister began to speak.

“The Battle of the Trident was a bloody one. Both sides had many losses, but Prince Rhaegar made it out alive. He retreated with his forces to Harrenhal.” She paused. Arthur noticed her frustration. He quirked up his brow at her attitude toward the prince. She started to speak again before he could ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue. “Aerys continues to rule. His paranoia also continues to rule him. He has sent the queen and prince away. He fears they will turn against him too.” Ashara stopped speaking, but Arthur could tell she had more to say. He needed time to process the information he had been given and she knew it.

A part of him was relieved, his oldest friend and the man he swore to defend with his life were still alive. But mostly, he felt frustrated that he wasn’t on the battlefield too. He ran his hand through his hair before letting out sigh and resting his head in his hands.

“Alright, what else is there?” he asked as he turned his head to look at her. She wore a worried expression looking back at him. Arthur thought she looked nervous too. She was worrying her lip between her teeth and wouldn’t look him in the eye. She didn’t start to speak until Arthur picked up her hand and held it again.

“Lord Baratheon lives too. He and his men returned to The Eyrie. Lord Stark’s men are returning to Riverrun.” Arthur could tell she was leaving something out. It was only after her words had finally sunk in that he realized what she hadn’t said.

“And what of Lord Stark?”he thought he had sounded calm until he saw the look in his sister’s eyes. The hand that wasn’t holding hers was gripping his leg so tightly he might have left bruises. He had been outside the door when the prince told Lady Lyanna about her father and brother; he did not want to have to tell she had lost another brother. Her screams and wails had plagued his dreams for nights on end afterward. The silence in the room had lasted longer than he would have liked.


End file.
